A
Anonymous
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Looking good. Can you post some pics of the clips and how you are going to install them.
40 gallon tank stand
- Thread starter spaulr
- Start date
Yup. I'll post some pics of the clips when I get home. I think they cost like $0.89 a piece at HD. I'm going to try 4 clips at first - 2 top and 2 bottom sides. I don't want anything on the bottom in case I have to slide things in and out.
Also, on the backside of the front panel is some left over 1x4 that I used to position the door exactly where is should be. This creates a lip that rests on the bottom shelf (3/4").
I'll post some pics of all this later tonight. I might even get to stain a few coats tonight. Light at the end of the tunnel....ahhhh.
Now I just need to figure out how to get a 5lb CO2 tank and CA reactor to fit in there with everything else.... :lol:
Also, on the backside of the front panel is some left over 1x4 that I used to position the door exactly where is should be. This creates a lip that rests on the bottom shelf (3/4").
I'll post some pics of all this later tonight. I might even get to stain a few coats tonight. Light at the end of the tunnel....ahhhh.
Now I just need to figure out how to get a 5lb CO2 tank and CA reactor to fit in there with everything else.... :lol:
It is difficult for the over-engineering type to not having a center leg if the tank is 4 feet or wider. For a stand that I DIYed a few years ago, I used steel tubing so that the front is open.
I feel it is tricky to mix wood type when making stand. When stained, they give you different color/texture. This difference can be used to advantage, but for most people, it is not easy to make the woods compliment with each others. It is less of an issue for painted stand. Are you going to paint the exterior, or stain it?
I feel it is tricky to mix wood type when making stand. When stained, they give you different color/texture. This difference can be used to advantage, but for most people, it is not easy to make the woods compliment with each others. It is less of an issue for painted stand. Are you going to paint the exterior, or stain it?
Since this was a 40 gallon the center brace didn't come into play. Space is so limited I can't imagine dealing with a center brace. I wish I would have made the stand about 4 inches wider as I'm realizing I need the space. There's quite a few things I'd do differently the next time around. Save my money and buy hardwood for trim, make the stand bigger than the tank.
7-E - The stain thing was an issue at first. I'm still wondering if it is going to look as good as my "test" pieces. I had HD make a MinWax stain called "Terracotta". They had samples on a minwax board that showed pine and oak next to one another with all the various stains. The pine was a little lighter, but I thought it would look pretty good with the oak.
http://www.minwax.com/products/woodstai ... -color.cfm
Using their Satin Polyacrylic (3 coats) as the final protectant.
7-E - The stain thing was an issue at first. I'm still wondering if it is going to look as good as my "test" pieces. I had HD make a MinWax stain called "Terracotta". They had samples on a minwax board that showed pine and oak next to one another with all the various stains. The pine was a little lighter, but I thought it would look pretty good with the oak.
http://www.minwax.com/products/woodstai ... -color.cfm
Using their Satin Polyacrylic (3 coats) as the final protectant.
I just cant help but to make a comment on the center brace issue most of us deal with regarding DIY stands. Sorry to highjack your thread Spaulr.
We all over build our tank stands. Not that it is a bad thing. After looking at the standsat the LFS I am convinced that at least for glass tanks that a center brace is not necessary. The last 120 stand I looked at had no center braces at all in the back. Just a piece of 3/4" plywood for the base under the tank. If you take a close look at commercially made stands you will notice that they really are kind of flimsy looking. Just a few pieces of plywood dado jointed togethter. A little elmers glue and a couple staples. Voila! a $500 dollar tank stand. I think that 5# of framing nails,some wood screws and a half dozen 2x4s' has to be stronger. And then we add our trim pieces.
To make a long story short.....
Most of our DIY stands will be just fine...Hey, not everyone can build :wink:
Oh by the way. Looking good Spaulr
We all over build our tank stands. Not that it is a bad thing. After looking at the standsat the LFS I am convinced that at least for glass tanks that a center brace is not necessary. The last 120 stand I looked at had no center braces at all in the back. Just a piece of 3/4" plywood for the base under the tank. If you take a close look at commercially made stands you will notice that they really are kind of flimsy looking. Just a few pieces of plywood dado jointed togethter. A little elmers glue and a couple staples. Voila! a $500 dollar tank stand. I think that 5# of framing nails,some wood screws and a half dozen 2x4s' has to be stronger. And then we add our trim pieces.
To make a long story short.....
Most of our DIY stands will be just fine...Hey, not everyone can build :wink:
Oh by the way. Looking good Spaulr
Thanks everyone for your comments. Here are the pics as promised. I just got the alignment board perfect and installed the clips. The clips work really good by the way. 4 clips holds the front on great. No way it is going to come off, even if bumped hard. I might get some sort of "decorative" bar that doubles as a handle to pull the front off.
Attachments
I finally finished the outside of the stand. 3 coats of stain, lots of sanding, 3 coats of poly acrylic. I think it turned out pretty good for never doing woodwork before. I still need to use the marine paint on the backside of the front cover, the shelf (which is a work in progress) and a few other nooks and crannies.
Attachments
Things I would have done differently:
1. Used hardwood for the trim
2. Picked a stain that brought the grain out more
3. Sanded a LOT more first. Some spots are light because I sanded too much later on.
4. Made the stand a little bit bigger width wise (its 38" high x 15 wide x 36 long) for stuff underneath (CO2, chiller, sump, etc)
5. Planned out all of the components I wanted first, then built a stand around them. I realize this is almost impossible, but for my next tank (90 in the garage) I will do this.
6. Get girlfriend to let me buy more tools :lol:
1. Used hardwood for the trim
2. Picked a stain that brought the grain out more
3. Sanded a LOT more first. Some spots are light because I sanded too much later on.
4. Made the stand a little bit bigger width wise (its 38" high x 15 wide x 36 long) for stuff underneath (CO2, chiller, sump, etc)
5. Planned out all of the components I wanted first, then built a stand around them. I realize this is almost impossible, but for my next tank (90 in the garage) I will do this.
6. Get girlfriend to let me buy more tools :lol:
Im not sure if there is a stain that will bring out the grain more. Other than a darker stain.
Your light spots could be from a number of variables. The density of the wood, the sanding, amount of stain applied to each area. A pre stain conditioner can help with that. I dont usually use it for oak as it usually takes stains very evenly. Sanding veneer plywoods can be tricky. This is usually my cause of light and dark spots. I try to avoid sanding veneer plywood until after I have at least one coat of varnish applied.
All that aside. NICE LOOKING STAND!! I think you're ready to add some crown moulding and possibly a wainscoat on the 90 stand...
Good job!!
Your light spots could be from a number of variables. The density of the wood, the sanding, amount of stain applied to each area. A pre stain conditioner can help with that. I dont usually use it for oak as it usually takes stains very evenly. Sanding veneer plywoods can be tricky. This is usually my cause of light and dark spots. I try to avoid sanding veneer plywood until after I have at least one coat of varnish applied.
All that aside. NICE LOOKING STAND!! I think you're ready to add some crown moulding and possibly a wainscoat on the 90 stand...
Good job!!
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